Autumn's Beginning, Autumn's Breeze [2]

Val--

I chuckled mentally, reaching one of my hands down to grasp Natans. I knew that, even in his mental state, he could feel it.

I'm a vampire, dearest, I pointed out. He didn't seem to understand at first. I don't need sleep. it's a wonderful advantage, and I do get tired, but sleep is far from necessary.

Ah, I see, Natan said, chuckling with me.

What other memories are there? I asked excitedly.

Oh, there are many.

Natan-

I tried to pick out which memory i should show her from my past. I shifted through each happy one i could find, smiling fondly as faces passed before fading away.

Would you like one from when i was young, or a more recent one? i asked, grinning mentally. I had a good one for both.

Val--

Um...can't I see both? I asked hopefully. He laughed again.

We'll see. Which would you like to see first?

The more resent one, I answered happily, preparing to watch.

Natan-

I smiled and pulled the memory from the others and let it play on it's own accord.

A young man stood on a high cliff, his black robes rippling gently in the breeze. The sun shone from across the vast ocean hundreds of feet beneath his feet as the dim sound of waves crashing against the rocks floated up to him. A small smile crosses his face.

The man seemed no older than 19 years of age. His dark hair, longer then than it was now, blew out behind him gently. The sea breeze breathed onto his face and outstretched arms as he leaned out as far as he dare over the edge. His eyes closed and opened again slowly, reflecting the glow of the blood-red and gold sunset. His smile widened.

His lips moved, and his words were carried off by the breeze. "I will remember this forever, so that i might pass it on to one robbed of this experience. Perhaps Val, when i return..." he mused slowly, thoughtfully.

A cloud drifted lazily overhead. The sun disappeared under the sea.

Val--

I gasped at the memory. It was beautiful...and mine.

You thought of me... I said the words slowly, hardly believing them myself.

Of course I did! he chuckled. Did you honestly think I never thought of you before you asserted yourself enough to talk to me?

I nodded shamefully, then remembered that he couldn't see me.

Yes... he laughed some more. Can I see the other memory too? Please!!

Natan-

I mentally smiled and bowed dramatically, waving my hand. But of course. Your wish is my command.

I extracted this memory from the others, too, and watched it with a small, fond, *mental* smile.

Small, bare feet trampled the earth upon which they raced, escaping the larger, booted feet that followed moments later. Laughter bubbled and coursed through the forest like life-blood.

"Catch me if you can, Daddy!" i high pitched voice called happily, followed by a surprised squeal. Another ripple of laughter accompanied by a low chuckle flowed through the trees.

"No fair!" a dark-haired toddler accused, pouncing on the robed man lying on the soft grass in the middle of a clearing. Light streamed through the leaves on the trees, falling upon the two figures.


The older man laughed again, tickling the laughing toddler who squealed louder.

"Ge' off! Stop 't!" the boy gasped, a wide grin stretched across his impish face. His keen blue eyes sparkled with mischief and mirth.

The older man chuckled again and let up, falling onto his back with a contented sigh. The toddler crawled onto his chest and peered curiously into his face.

"Daddy, what'r you doin'?"

The man closed his eyes and smiled. "Sleeping."

The toddler reached for the man's eyelids, lifting one up and giggling. "No you'r not!"

Hands shot up, tickling the boy again until he fell over sideways, laughing. The man grinned and let up again after a moment, watching the child regain his breath.

They lay there in the grass for some time, each breathing heavily. Then the child sat up, looking over at his father.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"Remember the night i had the bad dream?"

"Yes."

"Remember how you promised one of you would be there to help me?"

"Yes."

"And remember how i said i hoped it was you?"

"Yes."

"When do we walk the path then, daddy?"

"Don't worry. When the time comes, you'll know, Natan."

Val--

I chuckled at the younger version of Natan. I pulled out of his mind when I heard him groan. He rolled over, trapping me against the wall, the bed, and his strong body.

"Hullo," I said, looking up at him curiously. He grinned down at me, mystery in his eyes. "You're not honestly trying to trap me beneath you, are you?"

"I don't have to try," he replied. "I can."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" I asked, preparing to move out from beneath him in a heartbeat. Before I had time to do anything, however, Natan was kissing me.

"I keep you distracted," he answered, moving his lips along my jaw bone, whispering the answer in my ear. "I love you."

"I love you more," I replied defiantly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Isabella-

I felt conciousness roll upon me, and urged it to go away for a bit longer. I still felt horribly ill...too ill to be dead. Max must've saved me.

I coudln't actually remember if he had or not...everything was hazy. I kept my eyes tihglty closed, moving closer into Max's body and hoping to feign sleep for a bit longer.

Natan-

I smiled, pouring a small stream of magic into the kiss.

"I highly doubt that," i said, drawing back for a moment. She regarded me with curiosity and joy.

"Why?"

"Because it'd be impossible." i replied simply, pressing my lips softly against hers again.

Val--

I went to speak, but my breath left me with Natan's next kiss.

I could feel the magic he was adding in, making refusal even more difficult, and concentration virtually impossible. But I was still playful, and I could tell he was too. I hadn't realized what a decent amount of sleep could do to a mage.

With Natan's next kiss, I playful bit at his lip. (not hard enough to break skin). His eyes locked with mine, and I made sure my eyes were smiling.

Natan-

My eyes locked with Val's as she playfully bit my lip. She was questioning me, testing me to see how i felt.

After a moment, i drew back again with a reluctant sigh. I still held her pinned between the wall and myself. I smiled and kissed her softly on the forehead and held her close, wrapping my arms around her body and breathing quietly into her hair.

Val--

I grinned, feeling quite proud of myself for some reason.

Natan's grasp around me was tight -- protective -- and quite warm. The way we were positioned, my face was at the hollow of his neck -- the strongest smelling spot of the human body. I inhaled deeply, allowing his scent to fill me up. I kissed the spot lightly, letting my tongue trace the vein. I didn't even have to look to know where teh vein was, the smell was that strong.

Natan chuckled.

"That tickles," he murmured into my hair, moving it around with his breath. I grinned to myself again, and unwillingly stopped. Just tracing the veins, I could nearly taste the blood, and that was enough to keep me from insanity, or worse...

Natan-

I felt her tracing the vein in my neck and instinctively stiffened. But she only smiled and kissed the spot again, breathing deeply. I relaxed, realizing she had complete control.

I slipped into sleep a few times, waking with a start when i felt Val move against my body. She would murmur an apology and i would sink back into the blackness. She entered my mind again once or twice, asking to see a few more memories. I showed her one of Davnix and I play-fighting when we were much younger, our parents sitting in the shade, talking quietly.

Then she had withdrawn from my mind, allowing me to sleep. I felt bad, leaving her alone when she could not sleep, but before i could act on this, darkness completely covered me.

Max

I smoothed Isabella's hair, and knew she was awake. "Still tired love?"

Whatever her form of response was, I could tell it was a yes. But it appeared she was also having trouble getting herself back to sleep. So I willed it back into her. I had only willed Natan to sleep for the 12 hours and~him being the powerful mage that he was~was able to wake up earlier. But now he was drifting with Val, and having the seven people between us made me feel a little safer and left him alone.

In all truth Natan and Nathaniel scared the hell out of me. But I was willing to face them and anything else so long as Isabella was safe. Even if it meant my own death. It wasn't near as precious to me as it once had been. Now my mind was filled with thoughts of Isabella.


Ariana

"I guess you're right," I said and leaned against him staring up at the sky.

"Are heights starting to get less frightening to you now?"

I shook my head in a panic, "not yet. I think I'd pass out if I looked over the rail."

He sweeped me up in his arms and stood up, I clung to him my eyes wide with panic, "what are you doing?"

"Helping you with your fear."

Riley-

Before she could protest, i lifted Ariana in the air and held her close. I lazily drifted up to the top of the tower, standing on the very highest spire that jutted from the dark structure.

"It's alright," i murmured gently into her ear. "I won't drop you. Look, look at the moon."

She turned her face away from my chest slowly, her eyes widening when she saw how high we were. Then she caught sight of the moon and gasped.

"Oh, wow..."

"Beautiful, isn't it?" i asked, looking at the huge full moon that hovered just above the horizon. It's yellowish glow illuminated the night as stars twinkled in the distance.

"See, it isn't so bad up here, is it?"

Ariana

"Just the view of the moon," I said. "If I look down I'm sure I'll have a panic attack."

"Then don't look down."

I pressed my face to his chest again squeezing my eyes tight. "Can we go back down now?"